The night was as dark as ink, with a cold wind snaking through the city's alleys, carrying an eerie chill. Wang Yifan sat in the dimly lit living room, his gaze fixed on Li Yin, who stood by the window. She looked different tonight, still in her familiar white dress, but her usually calm eyes shimmered with something else—secrets that seemed on the verge of unraveling.
"Yifan," she said softly, her voice as ethereal as the night, "tonight is a full moon."
Wang Yifan furrowed his brow, puzzled. "A full moon? So what?"
Li Yin turned to face him, her expression solemn, her gaze heavy with unspoken emotion. "The full moon amplifies the yin energy. Tonight, I can briefly escape the constraints of being a ghost. I can… experience life, in a way."
Yifan's eyes widened in surprise. "Really? So you can eat food? Touch things?"
"For one night, yes," Li Yin replied, her voice tinged with melancholy. "But by dawn, I'll return to what I was—a spirit unable to truly exist in your world."
Yifan stared at her, a pang of sadness piercing his heart. He couldn't imagine the loneliness that defined her existence, nor the cruel irony of such fleeting moments of humanity.
"Then we should make the most of this night," he said, rising to his feet, his determination clear in his voice. "Let's do something you've always wanted to but never could."
Li Yin blinked, surprised. "Like what?"
Yifan grinned and held out his hand. "Dance with me."
Her eyes widened further. "Dance? Here? Now?"
"Why not?" Yifan walked to his phone, scrolling through his playlist until he found a soft, gentle melody. As the music filled the room, he stepped closer to her, extending his hand. "You said you could touch people tonight, right? Let's give it a try."
Li Yin hesitated for a moment, then slowly reached out. Her fingers brushed against his palm, and for the first time in what felt like an eternity, she felt warmth.
"How does it feel?" Yifan asked gently, a warm smile lighting up his face.
"A bit strange," she admitted, staring at their joined hands. "But… it's nice."
Yifan led her into a slow, tentative waltz, their movements awkward at first but gradually becoming more fluid. The music wrapped around them, filling the room with a sense of quiet intimacy.
"I never thought I'd be dancing with a ghost," Yifan teased, his grin playful.
"I never thought I'd be dancing after death," Li Yin countered, a rare smile gracing her lips.
They swayed and spun, their laughter mingling with the soft melody, the world outside forgotten. But as the final notes of the song lingered in the air, an unsettling sound broke the spell—a low, haunting wail carried by the wind.
Li Yin's smile vanished instantly. Her body stiffened, her gaze darting to the window. "They're here."
"Who?" Yifan asked, alarmed by the sudden change in her demeanor.
"Something worse than the restless spirits you've seen before," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "The Harbingers."
"The Harbingers?" Yifan repeated, the name sending a shiver down his spine.
"They are the enforcers of the cycle, beings that hunt souls like me who break the rules of life and death," Li Yin explained, her voice trembling slightly. "My temporary return to this world has caught their attention."
Yifan's fists clenched, his mind racing. "So what? They're going to take you away?"
Li Yin shook her head, her gaze fixed on the encroaching shadows beyond the window. "No, I belong outside the cycle. But they will try to erase me entirely."
"Erase you?" Yifan's heart sank. "That means… you'll disappear forever?"
Li Yin didn't answer. She turned her gaze back to him, her expression unreadable. "Yifan, listen to me. No matter what happens next, you must not interfere. This is my fight."
"Are you kidding me?" Yifan snapped, stepping in front of her protectively. "You think I'd just stand here and watch? Not a chance."
Li Yin's eyes softened, but she said nothing more.
The mist outside the window began to thicken, swirling like living shadows. Within it, a towering figure emerged, cloaked in tattered black robes that billowed despite the still air. Its face was obscured in darkness, but its eyes burned with cold, piercing light.
The Harbinger had arrived.
Its presence was suffocating, the temperature in the room plummeting. Wang Yifan felt his breath catch as the creature's gaze fell upon them, as if it could see straight into his soul.
"Stay back," Li Yin said firmly, her voice cutting through the oppressive silence. Her body began to glow faintly, a soft, otherworldly light emanating from her form. "This is my burden to bear."
"No." Yifan shook his head, his voice unwavering. "If you think I'm going to let some overgrown shadow monster hurt you, think again."
"You can't fight it," Li Yin said, her tone tinged with both frustration and something else—an emotion she hadn't allowed herself to feel in years.
"Maybe not," Yifan admitted, meeting her gaze. "But if I don't even try, then what kind of person does that make me?"
Li Yin stared at him, her lips parting as if to argue, but the words never came. Instead, a strange warmth filled her chest, a feeling she thought she'd long since forgotten.
The Harbinger moved closer, the air growing heavier with each step. Its skeletal hand reached forward, dark energy crackling around its bony fingers.
Yifan didn't flinch. He stood his ground, his hand instinctively tightening around Li Yin's. "If you want her, you'll have to go through me first."
The Harbinger paused, its head tilting as if studying him. For a moment, the room fell into an eerie silence, broken only by the faint hum of Li Yin's light.
Then, to Yifan's astonishment, the creature withdrew. Its burning eyes lingered on Li Yin for a brief second before it turned and dissolved back into the mist.
"What just happened?" Yifan asked, his voice shaking.
Li Yin's glow dimmed as she exhaled a shaky breath. "It saw something in you… something even I don't fully understand."
Yifan frowned, his gaze still fixed on the dissipating shadows. "Well, whatever it saw, I hope it scared the hell out of it."
Li Yin couldn't help but laugh softly, the sound carrying both relief and a hint of affection. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, she wasn't facing the darkness alone.
(To be continued)